The Goddess we usually call Crone is shown with a young and a middle-aged face as well. In Goddess spirituality, the idea that the Divine has many faces is well accepted. We're comfortable with the notion that the Divine appears in different ways to different people. One of the best characteristics of Goddess religion, in fact, is this acceptance that others' visions are as valid as your own most precious beliefs. You don't have to make a strong argument for ecumenism among truly devoted Goddess worshippers.

For me, though, it was one thing to acknowledge the many-paths-up-the-mountain argument in the abstract. It was something entirely different to realize it through direct experience. When I was a Goddess worshipper, I paid lip service to ecumenism, but I didn't really believe it. I disdained the patriarchal religions, especially the one that dominates my own culture. I truly believed that any woman who practiced Christianity, Judaism or Islam was little more than an obliging doormat. And, even though I didn't express it openly, I felt that anyone who chose to follow these faiths was misguided, incorrect, and maybe just a little cowardly not to break free of them. I was even a little smug about it.

I don't think Goddess cares for self-righteousness, and She had a way of dealing with my attitude. My love of nature, that had brought me to Goddess in the first place, led me to the writings of Matthew Fox. Now, how a feminist Goddess follower ever looked at his writings in the first place, those of a Christian, and, on top of that, a guy, still amazes me. It happened, as miracles seem to, inexplicably. I read Fox's book called Original Blessing, and was captivated from the first paragraph. Fox spoke of the Word of God.
The Word was not just blind acceptance of some ancient mythology, but a living force of Creation. And Creation itself was not some static event in the inconceivable past, but a dynamic, moving, ever-new process. The Word was alive. It was awe, joy, mystery, and ecstasy. I could feel it. I saw the Word in everything, from tree branches against the gray morning sky to my hands grasping a pencil. My life of spirit became deeper and richer. Before I had the chance to catch my breath, I was talking to an Episcopal priest about being baptized. Goddess, clearly, has a sense of humor. Little Ms. Smarty Pants who had all the answers woke up one day and found herself turned into a Christian.

Goddess used to be absolutely real for me. Now the Word fills my vision. I don't see this as one supplanting the other. It's more of a transformation, where Goddess worshipper became Creation-centered Christian like Snake Woman shedding Her skin. In no way do I feel I've turned away from Goddess. Goddess is just no longer how I conceive of the Mystery. It's just a matter of what I see when I look toward the inexpressible. This spiritual shape-shifting has made the unity of all light-seeking faiths real for me. We really are all one. As if we all hear the Cosmic sound and sing back a different note in the harmony.

So, here I am, in my new skin, still in SisterSpirit, still participating in circle, still loving Goddess, really, but now as a Christian, with a different perspective, with added dimension, and reveling in every aspect of the irony. If you don't believe She changes everything She touches, you'd better look behind you. May the peace of the Christ be ever in our hearts. Om. Amen.

ILAZKI is the Basque Goddess of the moon. She is the daughter to Lur, the Goddess of the earth, and sister of Eguzki, Goddess of the sun. As the light of the night, Ilazki was believed to give light to the souls of the dead, and graves often had pictures of the moon on them. It was believed to be most favorable to die when the moon was in its first phase, so that the soul of the deceased would grow as the moon did. Ilazki's name, which means "light of the dead," is also seen as ILLAZKI, ILARGI-AMANDRE (Lady Mother Moon), ILARGI, ILARGIA, ILLARGUI, ILE, IRETARGI, IRETARGUI, IRATARGI, IDARGI, ARGIZAGI, and GOIKOA.

ZEUS (Roman name Jupiter) was the supreme god of the Olympians. He was the father of the heroes Perseus and Heracles, the latter of whom once wrestled him to a draw. Zeus was the youngest son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea. When he was born, his father Cronus intended to swallow him as he had all of Zeus's siblings: Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Hera. But Rhea hid the newborn in a cave on Mount Dicte in Crete. (To this day, the guides at the "cave of Zeus" use their flashlights to cast shadow puppets in the cave, creating images of baby Zeus from the myth.)

ZEUS the god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods. Zeus was considered the father of the gods and of mortals. He did not create either gods or mortals; he was their father in the sense of being the protector and ruler both of the Olympian family and of the human race. He was lord of the sky, the rain god, and the cloud gatherer, who wielded the terrible thunderbolt. His breastplate was the aegis, his bird the eagle, his tree the oak.

Zeus presided over the gods on Mount Olympus in Thessaly. His principal shrines were at Dodona, in Epirus, the land of the oak trees and the most ancient shrine, famous for its oracle, and at Olympia, where the Olympian Games were celebrated in his honor every fourth year. The Nemean games, held at Nemea, northwest of Argos, were also dedicated to Zeus.

Zeus was the youngest son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea and the brother of the deities Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter, and Hera. According to one of the ancient myths of the birth of Zeus, Cronus, fearing that he might be dethroned by one of his children, swallowed them as they were born. Upon the birth of Zeus, Rhea wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes for Cronus to swallow and concealed the infant god in Crete, where he was fed on the milk of the goat Amalthaea and reared by nymphs. When Zeus grew to maturity, he forced Cronus to disgorge the other children, who were eager to take vengeance on their father. In the war that followed, the Titans fought on the side of Cronus, but Zeus and the other gods were successful, and the Titans were consigned to the abyss of Tartarus. Zeus henceforth ruled over the sky, and his brothers Poseidon and Hades were given power over the sea and the underworld, respectively. The earth was to be ruled in common by all three.

When he had grown up, Zeus caused Cronus to vomit up his sisters and brothers, and these gods joined him in fighting to wrest control of the universe from the Titans and Cronus, their king. Having vanquished his father and the other Titans, Zeus imprisoned most of them in the underworld of Tartarus.

Then he and his brothers Poseidon and Hades divided up creation. Poseidon received the sea as his domain, Hades got the Underworld and Zeus took the sky. Zeus also was accorded supreme authority on earth and on Mount Olympus.

As husband to his sister Hera, he is the father of Ares, the god of war; Hebe, the goddess of youth; Hephaestus, the god of fire; and Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth.

Zeus is described as falling in love with one woman after another and resorting to all kinds of tricks to hide his infidelity from his wife. Stories of his escapades were numerous in ancient mythology, and many of his offspring; such as, Hercules, were a result of his love affairs with both goddesses and mortal women. His many affairs with mortals are sometimes explained as the wish of the early Greeks to trace their lineage to him.

"HSI WANG MU" IS THE THE CHINESE GODDESS OF IMMORTALITY AND ETERNAL LIFE; SHE IS THE PERSONIFICATION OF THE FEMALE ENERGY OF "YIN". MANY REFER TO HER AS THE "'ROYAL MOTHER OF THE WEST'", SHE RULES OVER THE WESTERN PARADISE OF THE IMMORTALS. SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF THE GOD, "YU-HUANG", AND HER HUSBAND IS "MU KUNG. "SHE WAS ONCE A TERRIFYING MONSTER GODDESS WITH THE FACE OF A WOMAN, THE TEETH OF A TIGER, AND THE TAIL OF A LEOPARD, BUT ACCORDING TO TRADITION, SHE WAS TRANSFORMED INTO A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN ONCE SHE CAME UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF TAOISM. HENCE, WE FIND HER MOST OFTEN PORTRAYED AS A YOUNG BEAUTIFUL WOMAN WEARING A GOWN OF ROYAL FABRIC. HER LONG BLACK HAIR IS GENERALLY HELD WITH WITH ORNAMENTS OF PEARLS OR JADE. SHE IS SOMETIMES PICTURED RIDING A PEACOCK OR WITH WHITE CRANES BESIDE HER; ALL OF WHICH WERE BELIEVED TO BE HER CONSTANT COMPANIONS.

HER INCREDIBLE NINE STORY JADE PALACE LIES IN THE MYTHICAL "LAND OF IMMORTALS" IN THE "MOUNTAINS OF KUNLUN." IT IS SAID TO BE A PLACE OF GREAT BEAUTY WITH MARBLE BUILDINGS, SPARKLING BROOKS, AND MAGNIFICENT GARDENS. IT IS SURROUNDED BY A WALL OF OVER A THOUSAND MILES LONG AND OF PURE GOLD. THE MALE IMMORTALS ARE SAID TO RESIDE IN THE RIGHT WING WHILE THE FEMALE IMMORTALS RESIDE IN THE LEFT WING OF THIS PALACE. IT IS IN HER GARDEN THAT SHE CULTIVATES THE "PEACH OF IMMORTALITY", A GIANT COSMIC PEACH TREE WHICH FORMS ONLY ONE PEACH EVERY THREE THOUSAND YEARS. WHEN THE PEACH IS HARVESTED, "HSI WANG MU" INVITES THE IMMORTALS TO A FEAST TO CELEBRATE HER BIRTHDAY AND TO PARTAKE IN A CELESTIAL WINE, AN ELIXIR OF IMMORTALITY AND WISDOM WHICH SHE MIRACULOUS PEACH WHICH BESTOWS ANOTHER LEASE OF IMMORTALITY.

THE POWER OF HER PEACH TREES IS SO REMARKABLE THAT CHINESE WIZARDS USED THEIR BRANCHES FOR MAGIC WANDS. EATING THE FRUIT INSURES 3,000 YEARS OF GOOD HEALTH AND HAPPINESS.

HILARITAS is the Roman Goddess of rejoicing. She was often depicted on coins given out to the Roman people to celebrate the birth of a child to the Emperor. Hilaritas was shown holding a palm branch and a cornucopia, symbols of joy and abundance, and sometimes with children standing at her feet. Hilaritas's name means "cheerfulness," and the epithet HILARITAS AUGUSTII (cheerfulness of the Augustus) was used for her.

" NYX "is the personification of night; in Greek mythology, She is a powerful Goddess whose dark light falls on the stars. A shadowy figure, She stands near the beginning of creation. She dictates not only to men, but also to the Gods. Even the powerful Zeus does not wish to upset Night.

In one of the Greek tales, we find that Hera bribed Hypnos in order to make Zeus fall asleep. This was so She could have it Her way during the Trojan War, and despite his fears, Hypnos obeyed the Goddess. It seems that the last time he performed a similar task, Zeus woke up so angry that he sought Hypnos out everywhere..and would have hurled him out of the heavens if he had caught him...but, Zeus thought twice before doing this...for Hypnos is the son of Nyx, and Zeus will not do anything to displease Her.

Nyx is the daughter of Chaos. This makes Her one of the first creatures to emerge from the void. She is the sister of some of the oldest deities in Greek myth including;--Erebus (Darkness); Gaia (Earth); and Tartarus (Underworld). And it is from these primal powers that the rest of the Greek Goddesses and Gods came forth. Nyx, Herself, gave birth to a number of Divine offspring....Eris (Discord and Strife); The Moirai (The Fates); hypnos (Sleep); Nemesis (Retribution); Thanatos (Death); and the Hesperides. These deities were born by Goddess alone; they did not have a father.

BLACK WINGED NYX MAKES HER HOME IN TARTARUS (UNDERWORLD), WHICH IS A PLACE AS WELL AS HER BROTHER. BOTH DAY AND NIGHT LIVE IN THE SAME TIME, FOR ONE OF THEM CROSSES THE EARTH, THE OTHER WAITS AT HOME...BUT THEY GREET EACH OTHER AT THE THRESHOLD AS THEY CROSS IN FRONT OF THE PLACE WHERE ATLAS HOLDS UP THE HEAVENS. AND, AT THE GATES OF TARTARUS AND ABOVE ARE THE SOURCES AND ENDS OF HEAVEN, EARTH, SEAS...AND IT IS SAID THAT IF A MAN SHOULD FIND HIMSELF INSIDE OF THE GATES, HE WOULD NOT REACH THE BOTTOM FOR A YEAR.

SADLY, TODAY MANY OF US EVER SEE THE MORNING STAR...OR THE DAWN WITH ANY REGULARITY. WE GUARD OURSELVES AGAINST THE NIGHT...AND INSULATE OURSELVES AGAINST IT. WE VIEW NIGHT AS THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT, AS A TIME WHEN THE SUN IS BELOW THE HORIZON, BUT NIGHT IS ACTUALLY THE WORLD TRANSFORMED. THERE IS NO NEED TO FEAR; NIGHT IS TO BE WELCOMED...FOR WITHOUT NIGHT THERE WOULD BE NO DAY.

NEHALENNIA is the Germanic Goddess of commerce. She was worshipped in the area that is now the Netherlands, and was prevalent when the Romans arrived in the area. Shrines to Nehalennia depicted her holding a basket of fruit and accompanied by a large dog, and sometimes standing on or next to the prow of a ship or holding an oar. Votive inscriptions often thanked her for safe passage across the North Sea, confirming her identification with trade and commerce. Nehalennia's name, which is thought to mean "seafarer" or "steerswoman," is also seen as NENHELLENIA.

In Aztec mythology, Ehecatl ("wind") was the god of wind, an aspect of Quetzalcoatl. His breath moved the sun and pushed away rain. He fell in love with a human girl named Mayahuel, and gave mankind the ability to love so that she could return his passion. He had no known permanent physical form. The One Who Causes Movement of Matter in the Universe: Yohualli Ehecatl referring to Our Creator as the Mover of Matter in the universe, as Our Father.

Ningishzida is a Mesopotamian deity of the underworld. He is the patron of medicine, and may also be considered a god of nature and fertility. His name in Sumerian is translated as "lord of the good tree" by Thorkild Jacobsen and "lord who makes the trees grow right" by James Well. In Sumerian mythology, he appears in Adapa's myth as one of the two guardians of Anu's celestial palace, alongside Dumuzi. He was sometimes depicted as a serpent with a human head.

"SULIS" (EYE OR SEEING) WAS THE LOCAL GODDESS OF THE SPRINGS AT WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS BATH IN SOUTHWEST ENGLAND. THE MINERAL-LADEN WATERS WERE BELIEVED TO BE A SOURCE OF HEALING. THE LEGEND IS THAT KING BLADUD BATHED IN THE SPRING AND WAS CURED OF LEPROSY. AS A RESULT, THE SPRINGS BECAME CELEBRATED NOT ONLY IN THE BRITISH ISLES, BUT ALL THROUGHOUT EUROPE.

THOUGH SHE IS A SOLAR DIETY, SHE RULES THE ELEMENT OF WATER. SULIS WAS A GODDESS OF HEALING AND PROPHESY; THE FACT THAT SHE PRESIDED OVER HOT WATER BUBBLING FROM THE UNDERGROUND MEANT THAT SHE WAS IMMEDIATELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE MYSTERIES OF THE OTHERWORLD. SHE RULES OVER THE PURIFICATION AND HEALING OF THE MIND, THE BODY, AND THE SPIRIT.

THE ROMANS CONSIDERED SULIS TO BE A LOCAL VERSON OF THEIR OWN DEITY, MINERVA, AND BUILT A TEMPLE COMPLEX AROUND THE SPRINGS WHICH CAN STILL BE SEEN AND EXPLORED. PERMANENT FIRES WERE LIT AROUND HER SHRINE, AND THE WATER WAS ALWAYS WARM. SMALL VOTIVE IMAGES OF THE DEVOTEES BODIES WERE PLACED IN THE WATER AND ACCOMPANIED BY PRAYERS FOR HEALING.

LEAD AND PEWTER 'CURSE TABLETS' HAVE ALSO BEEN FOUND AROUND THE AREA OF AND IN THE SPRINGS. THESE WERE THIN SHEETS OF METAL WHICH WERE INSCRIBED AND FOLDED AND THEN DIPPED INTO THE WATERS; THEY CONTAINED APPEALS TO THE GODDESS FOR VENGEANCE AGAINST THOSE WHO HAD COMMITTED SOME CRIME AGAINST THE PETITIONER...USUALLY SOME SORT OF THEFT FROM THE BATHHOUSE ITSELF. THIS IMPLIES THAT SULIS ALSO DEALT IN DIVINE JUSTICE, PERHAPS PERCEIVED AS HEALING EXTERNAL WRONGS AS WELL AS AILMENTS OF THE BODY.

KLEIO (pronounced CLY-oh) is the Greek Muse of history. The nine Muses are the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, and they accompany Apollo in his role as God of the arts. Kleio is said to have brought the Phoenician alphabet to Greece. By Pieros, the King of Macedonia, she is the mother of Hyakinthos, a young man who was accidentally killed by Apollo who then turned his blood into a flower--the hyacinth. Kleio is usually depicted with a scroll in her hands, or sitting next to a pile of books. Her name means "she who makes famous" and is also seen as CLIO. Epithets for her include DAUGHTER OF THE LORD OF CLOUD-CAPPED HEAVEN, GIVER OF SWEETNESS, HIGH-THRONED, QUEEN OF SONG, FLOWERING, and UNFORGETTING.

EROS was the god of love in Greek mythology. He was represented as one of the primeval forces of nature, the son of Chaos, and the embodiment of the harmony and creative power in the universe. Soon, however, he was thought of as a handsome and intense young man, attended by Pothos ("longing") or Himeros ("desire"). Later mythology made him the constant attendant of his mother, Aphrodite, goddess of love.

In Greek art Eros was depicted as a winged youth, slight but beautiful, often with eyes covered to symbolize the blindness of love. Sometimes he carried a flower, but more commonly the silver bow and arrows, with which he shot darts of desire into the bosoms of gods and men.

Throughout Greek thought, there appear to be two sides to the conception of Eros; in the first, he is a primeval deity who embodies not only the force of erotic love but also the creative urge of ever-flowing nature, the first-born Light that is responsible for the coming into being and ordering of all things in the cosmos.

In Hesiod's Theogony, the most famous Greek creation myth, Eros sprang forth from the primordial Chaos together with Gaia, the Earth, and Tartarus, the underworld; according to Aristophanes' play The Birds, he burgeons forth from an egg laid by Night conceived with Darkness.

In the Eleusinian Mysteries, he was worshipped as Protogonus, the first-born.Alternately, later in antiquity, Eros was the son of Aphrodite and either Ares or Hephaestus, or of Porus and Penia, or sometimes of Iris and Zephyrus; this Eros was an attendant to Aphrodite, harnessing the primordial force of love and directing it into mortals, an apt role for the issue of a union between "Love" and either "War" or "Fire."

In some myths, he is portrayed as being playful, frequently causing trouble for gods and mortals; in others, he is mindful of the power he wields, sometimes refusing the entreaties of his mother and other gods to interfere in the course of some mortals' lives. In some versions he had brothers named Anteros, the embodiment of unrequited love, and Himerus.

In art, Eros was usually depicted as a nude winged boy or infant, with his bow and arrows in hand. He had two kinds of arrows: one was golden with dove feathers that caused instant love; the other was lead with owl feathers that caused indifference. The poet Sappho described him as "bittersweet" and "cruel" to his victims; he was also unscrupulous, mischievous and charismatic. In his ancient identification with Protogones and Phanes he was adorned represented as a bull, a serpent, a lion, and with the heads of a ram. He is occasionally shown blind or blindfolded.

But of course Eros is not always perceived as a child; that is associated more with "Cupid" from the Roman belief system. In the Greek religion he was a young man; a teenager, as opposed to a baby in a diaper.

Worship of Eros was uncommon in early Greece, but eventually became widespread. He was fervently worshipped by a fertility cult in Thespiae, and played an important role in the Eleusinian Mysteries. In Athens, he shared a very popular cult with Aphrodite, and the fourth day of every month was sacred to him.

Myths associated with Eros

Eros, angry at Apollo for making fun of his archery skills, caused him to fall in love with the nymph Daphne, daughter of Ladon, who had scorned him. Daphne prayed to the river god Peneus to help her and was changed into a laurel tree, which became sacred to Apollo.

The story of Cupid and Psyche first attested in Apuleius' Latin novel, The Golden Ass, recounts the love between Cupid and Psyche, whose name means "soul". Aphrodite was jealous of the beauty of Psyche, a mortal, and asked Cupid to make her fall in love with the ugliest man on earth; instead, Cupid fell in love with her himself and spirited her away to his home. Their peace was ruined by the jealousy of Psyche's sisters, and Psyche was forced to complete a number of trials, including descending to the underworld, in order to be reunited with Cupid. Eventually, she bore him a daughter, Voluptas, whose name means "pleasure", and became immortal herself. Psyche's visit to and return from the underworld made her an object of some devotion, like Dionysus and Persephone. She was an object of some mystery religions and was occasionally mentioned in connection with the popular Eleusinian Mysteries.

Known as a fierce hunter as well as protector, Artemis is one of the major Greek goddesses. Artemis is known as the goddess of the night, the huntress, the goddess of fruitfulness, the goddess of childbirth, Lady of the Beasts, the woodland goddess, the bull goddess, the personification of the moon, and the eternal virgin.

Artemis was one of the few goddesses immune to the enchantments of Aphrodite. In some instances Artemis is linked closely to the Roman and Italian goddess, Diana. There is some controversy as to the goddess that deserves the first rights, but it appears that Artemis was a later goddess. There is no doubt that the similarities are striking. Some people go as far as to call them one, the goddess Artemis Diana.

As a huntress, she happily traveled in woods in the company of dogs, wild beasts, and mountain nymphs. She brought about Orion's death, the unfortunate hunter, who either defied the goddess, or else tried to seduce one of her companions, the virgin Opis, or perhaps attempted to personally ravish her. Artemis sent a scorpion to sting his heel, and thus killed him. But when Orion was subsequently changed into a constellation, Artemis made sure the scorpion received the same honor.

THE MEANING OF HER NAME:

* From "meaning strong limbed;
* From "meaning she who cuts up (Spartan rendering of her name);
* From: "_" high or lofty and "meaning water, convener, lawgiver

Artemis was the protector of young children ages nine and up. These children were just released from their mothers' clutches, yet not quite ready to enter the stage of Aphrodite. The night before they were to be married, young girls sacrificed their tunics, toys, dolls and all youthful belongings to Artemis as a farewell to their youth. It is also believed that these young girls wanted to please Artemis so that she would aid them in childbirth in the future.

At festivals held in Ancient Greece, the young girls would sometimes wear bearskins and played "acting the bear." The female bear is one of the most difficult animals to domesticate. They acted out in dances the gestures and growl of the bear. These dances were for the realization of the physical body, not the body in a sexual or maternal sense. This time in a girl's life is essentially the last chance she gets to play and have fun before entering into the Aphrodite stage.

The sacrifice of a bear for Artemis started from the Brauron cult. Every year, a little girl age not more than ten and less than five sent to Artemis' temple at Brauron" e "a text by Byzantine writer, Suidas, told a legend about a bear that was tamed by Artemis, and introduced to people of Athens. They touched it and played with it, until one day a group of young girls poked the bear. It was furious, and attacked the girls. One of the girls' brother found out what had happened and killed the bear; Artemis sent a plague in revenge. The Athenians consulted an oracle of how to end the plague. The oracle suggested that,in payment for the bear's blood, every young Athenian virgin should not be allowed to marry until she had served Artemis in her temple ('played the bear for the goddess').

During the full moon in late March to early April, a particularly elaborate festival was held which seems to contain elements of the rites held in honour of the Thracian Moon Goddess "Young girls referred to as "who had lived in the Temple of Artemis during the summer were dressed in saffron couloured tunics and leaf crowns, and carried torches or twigs in a great procession. They then passed into the temple of Artemis, where they were said to 'play at being she bears.'

Worship of Artemis was not restricted to young girls and women in during childbirth. Some men took vows of chastity under Artemis, such as "The priests of Artemis castrated themselves voluntarily to se

rve her. Hunters also made sacrifices to the great goddess of the hunt. When a hunter had a successful day he would hand the skin and horns of his prey on a tree or pillar as an act of gratitude towards Artemis.

On the 6th day of the New Moon in February to early March, the festival of "was held in honor of Artemis the Deer Shooter. Stags and cakes in the shape of stags made of honey and sesame seeds were offered to Her. The entire lunar cycle this festival falls in was once the Athenian month of "and was wholly dedicated to Artemis.

On the 6th day of the new moon in late August to early September, the festival of "'Thanksgiving', in honour of was held. This month was called "'running for help.'

On May 30, the Great Full Moon festival honored Artemis as the Moon Goddess and Lady of the Beasts. Full Moon Celebrations in honor of Artemis were popular all over Greece until late historical times. They were celebrated with the forerunners of birthday cakes full of lit candles called "'shining all round,' and the surrender of Her worshippers to Her power in the forest. There, they would make love without concern for the bonds of marriage or conscious considerations, only the presence or absence of instinctive attraction.

Other ceremonies gave thanks to Artemis for providing game animals. Sacrifices consisted of palm leaves and a female goat, either real or an appropriately shaped cake.

GODDESSES SIMILAR TO ARTEMIS"; Atalanta of Arcadia; Bendis of Lemnia; Britomartis of Crete; Carya of Southern Laconia; _" of Thrace; Diana or Dea Anna of Ephesus and Latium, itself named for Leto; Diktynna of Crete; Egeria of Nemo; Eukleia; Hipta of Lydia; Kallisto of Arcadia; Leukippe; Ma Tau P'o; Ma of Cappadocia and Caria; Niobe; Ortheia of Sparta; Phylonoe;" Telchines; Uma(Umi) of "Sources: Goddess Myths, Art History, Wikipedia, and Kusadasi

This is the Gospel (Vangelo) of the Witches:

DIANA greatly loved her brother LUCIFER, the god of the Sun and of the Moon, the god of Light (Splendor), who was so proud of his beauty, and who for his pride was driven from Paradise.
DIANA had by her brother a daughter, to whom they gave the name of Aradia (i.e. Herodias).
In those days there were on earth many rich and many poor.
The rich made slaves of all the poor.

Page 4 (Excerpt from Diana speaking to Aradia)

Translation

'Tis true indeed that thou a spirit art,
But thou wert born but to become again
A mortal; thou must go to earth below
To be a teacher unto women and men
Who fain would study witchcraft in thy school.

Yet like Cain's daughter thou shalt never be,
Nor like the race who have become at last
Wicked and infamous from suffering,
As are the Jews and wandering Zingari,
Who are all thieves and knaves;
Like unto them ye shall not be...

Page 16 (Excerpt: Entire invocation to Aradia)

The Invocation to Aradia

Aradia! my Aradia!
Thou who art daughter unto him who was
Most evil of all spirits, who of old
Once reigned in hell when driven away from heaven,
Who by his sister did thy sire become,
But as thy mother did repent her fault,
And wished to mate thee to a spirit who
Should be benevolent,
And not malevolent!

Aradia, Aradia! I implore
Thee by the love which she did bear for thee!
And by the love which I too feel for thee!
I pray thee grant the grace which I require!
And if this grace be granted, may there be
One of three signs distinctly clear to me:
The hiss of a serpent,
The light of a firefly,
The sound of a frog!
But if you do refuse this favor, then
May you in future know no peace nor joy,
And be obliged to seek me from afar,
Until you come to grant me my desire,
In haste, and then thou may'est return again
Unto thy destiny. Therewith Amen!

CHANGING WOMAN is the Navaho Goddess of time and the changing of the seasons. She is also known as ESTSANATLEHI (pronounced es-tan-AHT-lu-hee). She is the daughter of the Sky and the Earth, and wife of the Sun. She lives in the West with the Sun, in a house that she built with Wind and Light. The East part of the house is made of white shell; the West of yellow abalone; the North of black jet; and the South of turquoise.

Changing Woman and the Sun had twin boys, Monster Slayer and Child of the Water. They grew to adulthood in only eight days, as Changing Woman herself had. They left their mother to go and fight the monsters that populated the world at the time. One day, feeling lonely without her sons, Changing Woman decided to create some company for herself. She brushed some dust from her breasts--from the right came flour and from the left came cornmeal. She used the flour and cornmeal to make a paste, which she formed into four pairs of men and women, who became the ancestors of the four Navaho clans.

Changing Woman represents the turning of the wheel of time. When she grows old, she walks to the East until she sees her young self walking towards her, and merges with her. Changing Woman reminds us that life is a circle, always moving, always changing. She sings:

Beauty before you,
Beauty behind you,
Beauty above you,
Beauty below you.
Walk now with Beauty around you
and your way will be beautiful.

TOYOTAMA-HIME is the Japanese Goddess of dragons and the sea. She is the daughter of the sea King Ryujin. She lived under the sea until a young hunter named Hikohohodemi-no-Mikoto came to the bottom of the sea, looking for a fishing hook that belonged to his brother. He usually hunted in the mountains, and his brother Honosusori-no-Mikoto fished, but they had decided to exchange equipment for a day. Hikohohodemi-no-Mikoto lost his brother's best fishing hook and went under the sea to find it. Toyotama-hime saw him and asked her father to help him in his quest. He found the hook, and also found love with Toyotama-hime and they were married.

After a few years, Hikohohodemi-no-Mikoto began to long for the world above the sea. He convinced Toyotama-hime to go with him. She was pregnant with his child and consented, so long as he would promise not to watch when she gave birth. He agreed and they returned to the surface. Hikohohodemi-no-Mikoto built a house for them to live in, and it was not long until the time of the birth came. At first, he waited patiently outside, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he peeked inside. He saw a huge black dragon holding a tiny baby. Toyotama-hime, who had changed into her alternate form of the dragon to give birth, was ashamed that her husband had seen her in that form, and she left him and the baby and returned to the sea. She sent her younger sister, Tamayori, to help raise the child. The baby, Hikonagisa-Takeugaya-Fukiaezu-no-Mikoto, grew up to marry his aunt Tamayori, and their son, Kamuyamato-lwarebiko-no-Mikoto, eventually became known as Jimmu-Tenno, the first emperor of Japan.

Toyotama-hime's name means "luminous jewel" and she is also known as OTOHIME or the DRAGON PRINCESS OF THE SEA.

When Lammastide rolls around, the fields are full and fertile. Crops are abundant, and the late summer harvest is ripe for the picking. This is the time when the first grains are threshed, apples are plump in the trees, and gardens are overflowing with summer bounty. In nearly every ancient culture, this was a time of celebration of the agricultural significance of the season. Because of this, it was also a time when many gods and goddesses were honored. These are some of the many deities who are connected with this earliest harvest holiday.

ADONIS ( Assyrian ): Adonis is a complicated god who touched many cultures. Although he's often portrayed as Greek, his origins are in early Assyrian religion. Adonis was a god of the dying summer vegetation. In many stories, he dies and is later reborn, much like Attis and Tammuz.

ATTIS ( Phrygean ): This lover of Cybele went mad and castrated himself, but still managed to get turned into a pine tree at the moment of his death. In some stories, Attis was in love with a Naiad, and jealous Cybele killed a tree (and subsequently the Naiad who dwelled within it), causing Attis to castrate himself in despair. Regardless, his stories often deal with the theme of rebirth and regeneration.

CERES ( Roman ): Ever wonder why crunched-up grain is called cereal? It's named for Ceres, the Roman goddess of the harvest and grain. Not only that, she was the one who taught lowly mankind how to preserve and prepare corn and grain once it was ready for threshing. In many areas, she was a mother-type goddess who was responsible for agricultural fertility.

DAGON ( Semitic ): Worshipped by an early Semitic tribe called the Amorites, Dagon was a god of fertility and agriculture. He's also mentioned as a father-deity type in early Sumerian texts and sometimes appears as a fish god. Dagon is credited with giving the Amorites the knowledge to build the plough.

DEMETER ( Greek ): The Greek equivalent of Ceres, Demeter is often linked to the changing of the seasons. She is often connected to the image of the Dark Mother in late fall and early winter. When her daughter Persephone was abducted by Hades, Demeter's grief caused the earth to die for six months, until Persephone's return.

LUGH ( Celtic ): Lugh was known as a god of both skill and the distribution of talent. He is sometimes associated with midsummer because of his role as a harvest god, and during the summer solstice the crops are flourishing, waiting to be plucked from the ground at Lughnasadh.

MERCURY ( Roman ): Fleet of foot, Mercury was a messenger of the gods. In particular, he was a god of commerce and is associated with the grain trade. In late summer and early fall, he ran from place to place to let everyone know it was time to bring in the harvest. In Gaul, he was considered a god not only of agricultural abundance but also of commercial success.

NEPER ( Egyptian ): This androgynous grain deity became popular in Egypt during times of starvation. He later was seen as an aspect of Osiris, and part of the cycle of life, death and rebirth.

PARVATI ( Hindu ): Parvati was a consort of the god Shiva, and although she does not appear in Vedic literature, she is celebrated today as a goddess of the harvest and protector of women in the annual Gauri Festival.

POMONA ( Roman ): This apple goddess is the keeper of orchards and fruit trees. Unlike many other agricultural deities, Pomona is not associated with the harvest itself, but with the flourishing of fruit trees. She is usually portrayed bearing a cornucopia or a tray of blossoming fruit.

TAMMUZ ( Sumerian ): This Sumerian god of vegetation and crops is often associated with the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

SAULES MEITA is the Latvian Goddess of the sun's renewal, daughter of the sun Goddess Saule. Dressed in fine silk clothes, Saules Meita wears a golden ring and a garland of leaves. At the winter solstice, it is said that Saule is tired out from her year's worth of travels across the sky every day, and she steps down from her position in favor of her daughter. Saules Meita takes up her mother's place in the sky and the sun is reborn. Saules Meita's name means "daughter of the sun" and the Lithuanian version is SAULES DUKRYTE.

Listen to the words of the Horned God, the Guardian of all things wild and free, and Keeper of the Gates of Death, whose Call all must answer:

I am the fire within your heart...
The yearning of your Soul.
I am the Hunter of Knowledge
and the Seeker of the Holy Quest
I - who stand in the darkness of light
am He whom you have called Death.
I - the Consort and Mate of Her we adore,
call forth to thee.
Heed my call beloved ones,
come unto me and learn the secrets of death and peace.
I am the corn at harvest
and the fruit on the trees.
I am He who leads you home.
Scourge and Flame,
Blade and Blood -
these are mine and gifts to thee.

Call unto me in the forest wild
and on hilltop bare
and seek me in the Darkness Bright.
I - who have been called;
Pan,
Herne,
Osiris ,
and Hades,
speak to thee in thy search.
Come dance and sing;
come live and smile,
for behold:
this is my worship.
You are my children and I am thy Father.
On swift night wings
it is I who lay you at the Mother's feet
to be reborn and to return again.
Thou who thinks to seek me,
know that I am the untamed wind,
the fury of storm and passion in your Soul.
Seek me with pride and humility,
but seek me best with love and strength.
For this is my path,
and I love not the weak and fearful.
Hear my call on long Winter nights
and we shall stand together guarding Her Earth
as She sleeps.

IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY, "MYRRHA" WAS A GIRL WHO COMMITTED INCEST WITH HER FATHER AFTER GETTING HIM DRUNK; AFTERWARDS SHE GAVE BIRTH TO ADONIS. SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF THEIAS, THE KING OF THE ASSYRIANS AND IT IS SAID THAT WHEN SHE NEGLECTED HER DUTY TO APHRODITE, THE ANGRY GODDESS PUNISHED HER BY GIVING HER INCESTUOUS FEELINGS FOR HER FATHER. MYRRHA HAD HER NURSE TELL HER FATHER THAT THERE WAS A GIRL WHO WAS IN LOVE WITH HIM AND SEVERAL NIGHTS LATER, SHE ARRANGED TO GET HER FATHER DRUNK AND THEN DISGUISED HERSELF AND CAME INTO HER FATHER'S BEDROOM. THE KING LATER BECAME CURIOUS ABOUT WHO THE GIRL WAS, AND WHEN HE DISCOVERED HIS DAUGHTER'S DECEPTION, HE BECAME FURIOUS AND TRIED TO KILL HER. MYRRHA RAN INTO THE FOREST TO ESCAPED AND BEGGED APHRODITE FOR MERCY. APHRODITE RELENTED AND TURNED HER INTO A MYRRH TREE. TEN MONTH LATER, THE TRUNK OF THE MYRRH TREE BUST OPEN AND A BEAUTIFUL BABY BOY, ADONIS, WAS BORN.

APHRODITE WAS IMMEDIATELY SMITTEN WITH THE BABY'S APPEARANCE BUT SINCE SHE WAS UNABLE TO TAKE CARE OF HIM ON A FULL-TIME BASIS, SHE ASKED PERSEPHONE, THE QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD, TO LOOK AFTER HIM UNTIL HE WAS OLDER. BUT, WHEN APHRODITE CAME BACK TO RECLAIM HIM, PERSEPHONE WOULDN'T LET HIM GO. APHRODITE APPEALED TO ZEUS TO MEDIATE, AND ZEUS APPOINTED THE MUSE, CALLIOPE, TO ARBITRATE THE DISPUTE. SHE DECIDED THAT EACH OF THE GODDESSES SHOULD HAVE ADONIS' COMPANY FOR SIX MONTHS. APHRODITE WAS ANGERED BY THE DECISION SINCE SHER FELT ADONIS SHOULD BE HER CONSTANT COMPANION, AND SHE VENTED HER ANGER BY ENRAGING THE MAENADS AGAINST CALLIOPE'S SON, ORPHEUS, AND THE TORE HIM APART.

NAME: SOPHIA which is the Greek version of Her name, other names and titles are Hohkma (Hebrew), Sapienta (Latin), Mother-Of-All (Gnostic), Holy Spirit (very early Christians), Wisdom (what the other names mean).

SYMBOLS: A cup, the crescent moon, a dove, a tree.
USUAL IMAGE: A red winged woman, crowned with seven stars, at Her feet lies the World, She carries a golden cup. She is also often shown wearing a red gown, and pregnant.

HOLY DAYS: November 28th is the Day of Sophia.

HOLY BOOKS: The Trattato Gnostico. The Clementine Homilies. The Gospel According to Mary.

DETAILS: Sophia, or Hohkma or Sapienta etc... is the primary female figure of Judeo-Christianity, She was once very important, but because of the efforts of men who had a very serious problem with the female force in nature and themselfs She has all but been exsponged from modern Bibles. She was the veiled holy spirit of wisdom, pregnant with knowledge and inviting us to drink deeply from Her cup. Old Jewish literature tells of Her role as God's co-creator, "She reaches out from one end of the earth to the other with full strength and orders all things well...Herself unchanging, she makes all things anew." without Her God is powerless. She shares God's throne, and is his creative breath. The Shakers recognized her in the rhyme: "Wisdom holds the Mother's seat, and is the Father's helper-meet." Yes, it's time that Mrs God got Her due!

Gnostics And Sophia

Gnosticism (Gnost = knowledge) was one of the very earlyist forms of Christianity being some what older then what became the Roman Catholic Church, and one of it's chief rivals during the first part of the first millennium. They sought communion with Sige (Silence) who dwelt at the beginning of all things and gave birth to Sophia (Wisdom or Knowledge), The Gnostic Great Mother, who was both spouse and mother of God. (Hey! it's how they thought back then, read your Joseph Campbell.)

What became the orthodox church especially hated the Gnostic feminine imagery. Followers of Paul denounced the Gnostics as the spawn of Satan and ravening wolves in human form, and both devil worshipers AND atheists, and other insults Christians used against other Christians of a diffrent type in those times, and for that matter today against other religions that they don't like today.

Starting mainly in the 4th and going through the 8th the Paulist church persecuted any Gnostic minorities that they could find, killing them in the thousands.

Church fathers of the Paulist type were very upset and angry by the Gnostics admiting women to ecclesiastical rank. Tertullian reported with horror that "All initiates, men and women alike...might be elected to serve as priest, bishop, or prophet. Beyond that the women teach, engage in discussion; they exorcise; they cure. They even baptize and in all way have equally, they pray equally -- even Pagans, if any happen to come...They also share the kiss of peace with all who come."

Some sects of Gnosticism even went so far as to say that there were twelve female apostles lead by the beloved of Jesus Mary Magdalene, and that while Jesus was the real God made flesh, Mary Magdalene was the real Goddess also made flesh, most of their gospels pertaining to this were destroyed by the eary Paulist, though some have survived.

In return for what the other Christians had to say about them the Gnostics said that the God of the Roman church was not the real God but was a devilish demiurge who only wanted to entrap human souls in lies, illusion, and evil.

But what about some of these differences that are to be found between the Gnostics who had a Yahway AND Sophia, and the Paulist who had only Jehovah and Jesus? Lets take a short look at the Gnostic version of the Garden of Eden myth next.

The Gnostics said that Sophia was born from the primordial female power Sige (Silence). And that she }Sophia{ was God's mother, "the great revered Virgin in whom the Father was concealed from the begining before He had created anything.Sophia gave birth to a male spirit, Christ, (who only much later came to earth in human form) and a female spirit Achamoth (who later came to earth as Mary Magdalene). These two gave birth to the elements and the terrestrial world, then brought forth a new god named Jehovah, Son of Darkness, along with five planetary spirits later regarded as emanations of Jehovah: Iao, Sabaoth, Adonai, Eloi, annd Uraeus. These spirits produced archangels, angels, and finally men and women.

Jehovah forbade men to eat the fruit of knowledge, but his mother Achamoth sent her own spirit to earth in the form of the serpent Ophis to teach menkind to disobey the jealous god. The serpent was also called Christ, who taught Adam to eat the fruit of knowledge despite Jehovah's prohibition.

...later

Sophia sent Christ again to earth in the shape of one of Her totems the dove, to enter the man Jesus at his baptism in Jordan. After Jesus died, Christ left his body and returned to heaven to help collect souls.

But not all of Sophia was taken out of the final version of the Bible by the Paulist, some was able to slip past i.e. from the 8th and 9th chapters Proverbs we see the early conflict between followers of Sophia and those of God. Maybe the divorce was going on at this time?:

Doth not Sophia cry? and understanding put forth her voice? She standeth in the top of high places, by way in the places of the paths. She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in of the doors. Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. O ye simple, understand Sophia: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things... for Sophia is better then rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to Her. I Sophia dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions... Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding; I have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and and nobles, even all judges of the earth. I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me... I lead the way into righteousness, jin the midst of the paths of judgment: that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures... Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For who so findeth me findeth life... But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. Then we get:

Sophia hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: she hath killed her beasts: she hath mingled her wine: she hath also furnished her table. She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city. Who so is simple, let him turn in hither; as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled...(but) the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me (God) thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased... a foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing. For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high place of the city, (temples) to call passengers who go right on their ways: who so is simple, let him turn in hither... But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and her guests are in the depths of hell.

Sounds like the nasty sort of thing that goes on in a lot of divorces to me. Or at least a heated PR battle.

Lets say that the campaign to bring Sophia (or Sapienta or Hohkma or Goddess which ever) is a success, what are some of the effects that it might have? I mean other then the religious aspects, I mean also the political or more mundane aspects, because as it is now while women make up the majority of those that DO anything in the churchs the power is in the hands of men, well, with Sophia back thinks would have to loosen up more then a little bit, so what are some of the changes that could take place?......:

Catholicism

Sure they have nuns, but that does not count because even they have to have a Priest that is over them (I think I'm really not sure about the details). So with the return of Sophia we could see also the Catholic Priestess who would have her very on sacraments and everything (see following message) and to be sure they could also become bishops and cardinals I understand that such things were quite common way back when.

And Pope? There was Pope Joan, but she had to be in disguise to do that. And all that Pope stuff did not start till well after the last of the Sophiaist had been offed.

But I know the perfect compromise, there is a lot of controversy in the Roman Catholic church right now between people who think that Priest should be able to marry, and those that think things should stay just as they are. But if you let Priest marry who knows what would happen! After all nobody can understand anybody else's choices in books or mates, and if you're Catholic what would you do if Father Dan showed up one day married to a Yahway's Witness or a nice Jewish girl?! You know what gossips church people can be, well here's the solution, let them get married, but only to Priestesses, sure that cuts down the field a lot but hey! that's tough, it comes with the territory.

Protestantism

Now here's a group that needs some work, ever seen some of the more hard-core groups with the men in their Penta-Pimp suits and the poofyed up hair-dos and their drab mousey wifes who never seem to say anything? (not to try and get anybody mad or upset, but if I do...I try) I think there is more then room for a little loosening up to be done there, and in the more avereage protestant churchs too.

Along with the minister have a wominister, yeah that would work, maybe having another power would help cut down on the power tripping that often takes place. And just think, one more person to gossip about!

Judaism

Sorry, I really don't know enough about Judaism to talk about changes that might take place with the return of a Goddess figure, but I'm sure it would have to mean something...right?

All Judeo-Christianity

One thing that is to be found in all Christian religious groups is the male-force version of the leader, no matter if he is called Priest, minister or what, who is let's face it more matter how you might like to not look at it, is for the most part a political figure, somebody in charge, so that you have a lot of religion but very, very little if any real spirituality.

Perhaps that could be fixed with the return of Sophia because with the return of a Female element to a religion you open up the door to the possibility of the Christian Shaman, something that the world has yet to see, this person could be ether male or female and..well I think this needs it's own message.

Even if you are not Catholic yourself I am sure that you are at least somewhat familiar with each of the seven sacraments that a priest can perform as part of his office. Just for the record they are listed below.

The seven sacraments that a priest of the Roman Catholic church can perform are:

Now, what would be the case if a campaign to return Sophia to Judeo-Christianity were to succeed? There would be no need to take anything away from the priests, or even for them to share the seven sacraments for that matter, I think that the priestess would have plenty to do with the seven sacraments of the

Priestesshood:

1. Pre-Baptism (sacred midwifery) To atend in a number of ways to the spiritual and physical needs of pregnant women, blessing the child, doing some rite at the birth etc...

2. Blessing the Cup. Rite by which a cup of milk or water is imbued with the essence of Sophia.

3. Bake the Love in. Rite in which an entire meal is imbued with the essence of Sophia.

4. Match-Making. Something that is badly needed before the Priest can do the marriage bit. a number of ways in which the compatibility is tested between two people, also the aiding of finding a suitable match. ("Nu! have I got a girl for you!")

5. Nag. Sort of like confession, only while one is told to the priest this one is told to you by the priestess, sort of like naging...but in a good way, a way of pointing out where some improvement could be made, all under the influence of Sophia and not the good Mother herself `nach. Maybe it could start out by the Priestess saying something like "Watch it buster, for you have sinned" or something like that.

6. Tidy-Up. Rite to "clean-up" the spiritual "being" of the person in question, sort of like all that aura cleaning that the New Agers do.

7. Make-Over. Training that lets the Priestess note changes that would be helpful if they were made in an individual, sort of like that Hail Mary thing, only the Priestess would assign things of a more tangible form. Like giving me one week with no beer drinking, or such like.

The White Goddess. Robert Graves.
Forerunners and Rivals of Christianity. (2 vols.) Francis Legge.
The Gnostic Religion. Hans Jonas.
Venus in Sackcloth. Marjorie Malvern.
Myths to Live By. Joseph Campbell.
The Gnostic Gospels. Elaine Pagels.
When God Was a Woman. Merlin Stone.
The Lady Was a Bishop. Joan Morris.
Spiral Dance. Starhawk.
The Book of Goddesses and Heroines. Patricia Monagham.
The Goddesses and the Tree. Ellen Cannon Reed.
Urban Shaman. Serge Kahili King.
Growing the Tree Within. William Gray.
The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets. Barbara G. Walker.

Many of these books are to be found at the library.. And there is a new one out called Sophia the Black Goddess I believe but I'm not sure and I don't know the authors name.....sorry.